71+ Mouth-Watering Indian Food Names A to Z
Gallery
Indian cuisine’s delicious taste and fine balance of spices and gravy have made a home in the hearts of food lovers around the world.
India is a culturally rich country; this richness is reflected in their spices, ingredients, the way their food is cooked, and many are native to their states of origin. Indian dishes feature a delicate balance of spices which provide them with a rich taste.
People make changes to the recipe as per their taste and ingredients available in their local region. Indian spices stand out the most. For centuries people have traded with India for their masalas. You might have heard Indian food masala names such as turmeric, mustard seeds, cinnamon, poppy seeds, and king of all spices, Garam Masala.
Every state and part of the country has distinct tastes and signature styles. For instance, North India is famous for its butter chicken, amritsari kulcha, and aloo paranthas, while South Indian food is known for idlis and rasam.
To know more about Indian traditional food names, check out the list below.
Funny Indian Food Names
Check out this list below to know the names of funny Indian food names in alphabetical order.
Firni (Indian origin) meaning ‘milk dessert’. It is a rice pudding that is made with saffron and dry fruits.
Jalfrezi (Indian origin) meaning ‘spicy’. This dish is cooked with ginger and chilis.
Lassi (Indian origin) meaning ‘butter milk’. It is a popular yogurt drink from North India.
Murgh (Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken’. It is a popular chicken dish.
Naan (Indian origin) meaning ‘bread’. It is stretchy bread that is served with curry and gravy dishes.
Peshawari (Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet bread’, is a type of bread that is stuffed with nuts and raisins.
Rasmalai (Indian origin) meaning ‘juice and cream’. It is prepared from milk balls and saffron.
Vindaloo (Indian origin) meaning 'meat in garlic marinade'’. It is a famous meat curry dish.
Xacuti (Indian origin) meaning ‘meat curry’. It is a famous Goan non-vegetarian dish. It is made with coconut and roasted ground spices.
Yakhini (Indian origin) meaning ‘broth’.
North Indian Food Names
The key to cooking delicious and lip-smacking North Indian food lies in the rich ingredients that they use to make the food. North Indian food is made with dairy products like ghee, butter, cottage cheese, and thick creamy gravy with a moderate level of spices.
They also add dry fruits to enhance the taste. Roti is a primary staple bread of North Indians. Check this below to know more about such North Indian food names.
Aloo Tikki (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato patties’, is a vegetarian dish and has a filling of vegetables. It is served with mint and tamarind chutney.
Aloo Matar (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato-peas’. It is a curry dish that is served with rice and bread.
Aloo Methi (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato-fenugreek’. It is a dry dish made with potato and fenugreek leaves.
Aloo Shimla Mirch (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato-capsicum’. In its recipe, potatoes are sauteed in mustard seeds with capsicum, onions tomatoes, and ginger garlic paste.
Amarti with Rabdi (North Indian origin) meaning ‘porridge’. It is a popular dessert in North India.
Amritsari fish (North Indian origin) meaning ‘fish curry’. Fish is deep-fried and then cooked in a curry. You can find easy Amritsari fish recipes online.
Amritsari Kulcha (North Indian origin) meaning ‘leavened bread’, is popular street food in Amritsar.
Bhatura (North Indian origin) meaning ‘unleavened bread’, is a fried bread that is served with spicy chole and pickle.
Bhindi Masala (North Indian origin) meaning ‘spiced okra’. It is a seasonal vegetable and is cooked with onion.
Butter Chicken (North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken curry’, is the most famous dish in this region. It is also known as Murgh Makhani.
Chaat (North Indian origin) meaning ‘street food’, is a popular street snack. The recipe includes a fried potato patty, topped with yogurt, tamarind, and mint chutney. Many vendors add dry fruits and pomegranate seeds to the chaat.
Chana Masala (North Indian origin) meaning ‘spicy chickpea’. In its recipe, boiled chana is cooked in ginger-garlic and tomato paste.
Chicken Tikka (North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken bits’. Chicken Tikka is marinated chicken, cooked on skewers.
Chicken Tikka Masala (North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken curry’. It is one of the famous Indian Recipes. This recipe’s ingredients include yogurt, spices, and tomato paste.
Chicken Razela (North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken gravy’. This chicken recipe belongs to the Indian city of Bhopal. The chicken is served with mint gravy.
Chole Bhature (North Indian origin) meaning ‘chickpea and bread’. It is famous hot street food in north India.
Dum Aloo (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato curry’, is prepared by cooking potatoes in a hot onion-tomato sauce and spices.
Daal Puri (North Indian origin) meaning ‘stuffed daal’. It is a crispy snack stuffed with daal.
Daal Fry (North Indian origin) meaning ‘fried lentils’. It is a quintessential tadka daal.
Daal Makhani (North Indian origin) meaning ‘black lentil’. It is a famous daal and is served with Tandoori roti and naan.
West Indian Food Names
Check out the list below to know the names of delicious west Indian food names.
Daal Baati Churma (West Indian origin) meaning ‘lentil and wheat bread’, is a famous Rajasthani vegetarian dish. Bati is prepared with whole wheat flour.
Daal Dhokli (West Indian origin) meaning ‘wheat and lentil curry'.
Dabeli (West Indian origin) meaning ‘pressed’. It is a popular street snack in Gujarat. Boiled potatoes made with special masala are stuffed between dabeli buns.
Dahi Vada (West Indian origin) meaning ‘yogurt-lentil’. In this recipe, soft lentil balls are served with yogurt, raisins, and a variety of chutneys.
Dhokla (West Indian origin) meaning ‘steamed lentil’. It is a steamed leavened spongey Bengal gram dish. It is topped with sugar syrup, mustard seeds, and green chilies tadka.
Doodhpak (West Indian origin) meaning ‘milk dessert’, is prepared with nuts and milk.
Dudhi No Halwo (West Indian origin) meaning ‘bottle gourd dessert’. It is a sweet dessert.
Gajar Halwa (West Indian origin) meaning ‘carrot dessert’. This dessert is popular in North India as well.
Gatta Curry (West Indian origin) meaning ‘chickpea dough curry’. In this recipe, chickpea dough bits are cooked in yogurt curry.
Ghari (West Indian origin) meaning ‘dessert’, is a sweet dish popular in Surat.
Gujia (West Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet deep-fried dumpling’. It is a famous sweet in West India.
Gud Papdi (West Indian origin) meaning ‘jaggery dessert’. It is a crunchy thick piece of jaggery cooked with ghee and peanuts.
Famous Indian Food Names
There are a few famous dishes that everyone knows the names of. These dishes have fans all around the world. Here are some of the most famous Indian food names.
Gur (Indian origin) meaning ‘jaggery’. It is a sweet and unrefined form of sugarcane.
Gulab Jamun (Indian origin) meaning ‘milk-solid based dessert’. It is a dessert served in sugar syrup.
Gujjiya (Indian origin) meaning ‘fried sweet’. This sweet is stuffed with coconut and raisins.
Halavasan (Indian origin) meaning ‘dessert’. It is a popular sweet dish in India.
Handvo (Indian origin) meaning ‘vegetable cake’. It is a steamed snack from West India.
Jalebi (Indian origin) meaning ‘deep-fried pastry’. It is a fried sweet dish that is served with sugar syrup.
Jeera Aloo (Indian origin) meaning ‘cumin-potato’. It is a spicy dish.
Jowar No Rotlo (Indian origin) meaning ‘sorghum bread’. It is a famous type of Roti.
Kansar (Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet dish’. Kansar is prepared with whole wheat flour, sugar power, and clarified butter.
Karanji (Indian origin) meaning ‘stuffed dessert’. It is a crispy dessert from the state of Maharashtra.
Keri No Ras (Indian origin) meaning ‘mango pulp'. It is prepared from raw mango.
Khakra (Indian origin) meaning ‘thin wheat snack’.
East Indian Food Names
North East and East India have distinct tastes. Their dishes have been influenced by the climate and type of ingredients available in this region.
Read the list below to know the names of popular North-East Indian and East Indian dishes.
Khar (East Indian origin) meaning ‘side dish’. It is an Assamese dish.
Kumol Sawol (East Indian origin) meaning ‘soft rice’. It is made with soft rice cream and Jaggery.
Loskora Laddu (East Indian origin) meaning ‘coconut laddu’, is a dessert.
Lucchi (East Indian origin) meaning ‘puffed bread’, is a Bengali bread fried in oil.
Malpua (East Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet’, is a milk dessert fried in clarified butter or ghee.
Momo (East Indian origin) meaning ‘dumplings’. It is a steamed dish made with rice flour.
Muri Moya (East Indian origin) meaning ‘puffed rice ball’, is an East Indian snack in Bengal.
Masor Tenga (East Indian origin) meaning ‘fish stew’. It is a popular Assamese fish stew.
Mach Jhol (East Indian origin) meaning ‘fish’. It is made of potatoes, ginger, garlic, and tomato sauce.
Pani Tenga (East Indian origin) meaning ‘pickle’. It is made from mustard.
Pork Bhartha (East Indian origin) meaning ‘pork’. It is a popular dish from Tripura.
South Indian Food Names
To know the names of spicy and tasty dishes from Southern India and other states, read the list below.
Pachadi (South Indian origin) meaning ‘yogurt chutney’, is a side dish.
Paniyaram (South Indian origin) meaning ‘rice flour’, is a kind of steamed dish.
Parotta (South Indian origin) meaning ‘bread’, is made with refined wheat flour and oil.
Paruppu Sadam (South Indian origin) meaning ‘daal rice’, is an essential dish.
Pongal (South Indian origin) meaning ‘pulao’, is South Indian rice.
Rasam (South Indian origin) meaning ‘juice’, is a spicy and sour soup that is served with rice.
Rava Dosa (South Indian origin) meaning ‘crisp crepe’, is a famous south Indian food.
Sakkarai Pongal (South Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet rice’.
Sambhar (South Indian origin) meaning ‘spicy condiments’, is made with lentils and vegetables.
Vada (South Indian origin) meaning ‘savory donut’, is served with chutney.
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology
Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology
With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies.
Bachelor of Commerce
Niyati ParabBachelor of Commerce
With a background in digital marketing, Niyati brings her expertise to ensure accuracy and authenticity in every piece of content. She has previously written articles for MuseumFacts, a history web magazine, while also handling its digital marketing. In addition to her marketing skills, Niyati is fluent in six languages and has a Commerce degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University. She has also been recognized for her public speaking abilities, holding the position of Vice President of Education at the Toastmasters Club of Pune, where she won several awards and represented the club in writing and speech contests at the area level.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
